Emma
Finally.
It took Emma years of planning, of longing for the perfect revenge, for Justice. Months of tracking to find them, to ensure that they couldn't get away from her. Weeks to get to them all and, ultimately, strike.
She had always wondered how she would feel once all of them were gone for good. Perhaps she would finally feel at peace, or complete. Or, maybe instead she would feel empty, without any real purpose. She had been waiting for this moment for so long. Who knew what she would do once it was all over?
Now, as she was staring at the man's limp body before her, she realized that it was neither of those.
No, Emma felt euphoric.
She had lived long enough to get her revenge, doing so without getting caught, and she felt like the most powerful woman in the whole world. The whole universe, perhaps. A triumphant smile made its way to her lips, and without being able to control herself anymore, she started laughing. She made it.
The bruises weren't gone. She had accepted that they would probably linger forever. But, now that she'd gotten rid of all of her targets, the first thought that would occur when they started hurting again was that all of the men responsible for so much suffering were buried six feet under, and if she managed to escape for good, they would never, ever find justice.
She had won. And she had done so with someone by her side, after years and years of loneliness.
Looking down, she spotted Jenna on the floor. The brunette had fallen onto her knees, her petite figure shaking badly, and despite her current ecstatic state, Emma couldn't help but feel slight concern for the girl. Perhaps she had expected too much from her. Jenna was broken, which she was sure of, it didn't seem to be enough to numb the feeling of guiltiness, though.
Making her way to the girl, Emma reached out to her shoulder before squeezing it gently, so as not to startle her.
She hated how she had grown a soft spot for Jenna. She hoped it wouldn't fuck her up later.
"You did a good job, Ortega." Emma breathed out, feeling the brunette relax under her touch. "It's over now."
Jenna shook her head at that, her gaze stuck on the floor. "No, no," Her voice was trembling. "I killed him."
"Jenna," She called, making the shorter girl look up. Tears were streaming down her face, she was livid, and Emma sighed. "You did the right thing."
She hoped she would believe it.
Emma truly did not want to get rid of her, but she couldn't let anything, or anyone, get in her way.
Jenna remained silent but nodded lightly. It was obvious she was conflicted, but eventually, she started smiling, and the blond-haired girl knew that the dark sides of her were stronger. Deep down, Jenna was just like her. She would simply need to train her a little if she stayed by her side for long.
Just as Emma reached her hand out to help the brunette up, she heard the distant noises of sirens blaring, and both of their heads shot to the side towards the window.
"Fuck," She muttered under her breath.
The fight wasn't completely over yet.
Jenna
Jenna knew that from then on, her life would never be the same.
She felt sick, and even though a feeling of satisfaction was growing bigger and bigger in the back of her mind, she knew it would take long to get over what she had just done.
The second Jenna heard the sirens, though, that feeling was overpowered by her survival instincts. They needed to run away, and they needed to do it now.
Running towards the wide windows, the brunette joined Emma who was looking down to the streets. Three police cars had just gotten there. Jenna figured that several others would be there soon.
Emma and Jenna were a real threat to them, and they would do everything it took to stop them both. The murders had been happening for far too long already.
"Do they know we're here?" Emma asked her tone back to the icy one Jenna had gotten used to.
"I don't think so. They must've seen my car parked a few blocks away, I doubt they know which building we're in yet."
Emma nodded in acknowledgment. "It won't be long before they find us. We have to leave now." She said, tying her hair in a messy ponytail before reaching for her face mask and putting it up. "Do they know who I am?"
The brunette shook her head. "They didn't when I left. But... Maybe they figured out since Jules revealed your identity... I don't know how long it'll take before they put the pieces together."
"Right," She scoffed. "They know yours, anyway."
That's when it hit Jenna.
Everyone knew who she was, and what she had done. She had even run away from the police, they would no longer hesitate before stopping her, in one way or another.
This meant that she was now a threat to Emma.
The woman still had a chance to run away unnoticed. She had skills, too, that Jenna clearly did not have. If she escaped with her, and god knew how much she wanted to, she would hold her back.
"Ortega?" Emma called her name, but Jenna's gaze remained stuck to the street below them, staring at the cops who were running around, already interrogating some people. She then felt hands shaking her, urging her to turn around and face her. "Jenna, we have to go now."
"I can't," Jenna uttered, eyes wide.
The woman took a step back at this, clearly surprised by her words.
"What the hell do you mean you can't?"
The brunette had never seen Emma lose her calm, and yet there she was. They were screwed. So fucking screwed.
"I can't. If they see me with you-"
"They won't see us."
...Was she insisting?
"They might!"
"Jenna." Her eyes were filled with fear, for the first time. Jenna wondered if she was scared of getting caught or scared of losing her. The second thought made warmth spread all over the brunette's body, despite the urgency of the situation. "They won't."
"You don't know!"
"We're losing time, just-" Emma paused, voice shaking ever so slightly, "Let's leave, now. We have to leave."
Jenna closed her eyes, hoping that it would help clear her mind.
She didn't want to cause Emma trouble. Not after everything she had been through, not so close to the end. The choice should be easy to make. Leave without her, ensure her safety. But... The way she almost begged for Jenna to stay?
The brunette had never had that.
And... Could she even live without Emma by her side now?
She wasn't sure she could anymore.
She had grown obsessed with her. She wasn't sure she could call it love, their relationship wasn't like that, Emma wasn't like that, but... it was so much stronger than anything she'd ever felt.
She couldn't leave without her.
"Okay," Jenna breathed out, "Okay, let's leave."
Emma's smile came back at that and, without answering, she took the brunette's hand in hers and led her toward another room.
She then let go of her, walking toward a big closet, "let's find some new clothes for you, you look too much like a cop right now," she muttered, "We have to be smart if we don't want to get caught."
We.
Despite the danger, Jenna loved the sound of it. Perhaps too much to think rationally.
Everything would be fine, so long as Emma remained.
***
Before long, the two women were making their way outside, adrenaline rushing in the former detective's blood.
This felt so sinfully good.
With Emma's hand in hers, she felt untouchable, even as she saw policemen in the streets interrogating some passer-by, even knowing that she might get arrested, or worse, anytime. She felt powerful. In full control.
The chance of them recognizing her was quite low, anyway, unless they took the time to really look. She was wearing oversized clothes that clearly were not her usual style and headphones. Her hair was down, a look she did not wear often either, yet she looked like about anyone on this street, and with Emma by her side, she knew they looked like any normal couple, not a duo of criminals.
They kept on walking silently, Jenna letting Emma lead her with her head low, knowing that she knew better than herself what she was doing.
It would be okay. The streets were way too busy for them to stop everyone, for them to notice her.
They'd make it out.
They were almost there, so close to escaping, so close to being free.
Before they could escape the zone of control, though, a man suddenly stopped them, and the brunette felt her heart drop.
A cop.
Emma didn't seem too reassured either as her hold on Jenna's hand got a little tighter, making the brunette gulp.
This was definitely not someone from her department, which meant that the investigation must have gotten a lot more serious.
She prayed he wouldn't recognize her. Prayed her picture wasn't already sent to everyone.
He eyed them up and down, though he didn't seem wary of them, which was rather a good sign, and Jenna almost let out a sigh of relief. They just needed to convince him they didn't know anything and make sure he didn't know who she was. This shouldn't be too hard, right?
Looking back into the brunette's eyes, the man cleared his throat, "Hello, ladies. May I ask you a few questions?"
"Of course, is there anything wrong?" Emma answered, her voice higher than the one Jenna had gotten used to. She sounded so much.. brighter?
The policeman shook his head before speaking up again. "It's just the procedure, it shouldn't take long, don't worry." They both nodded, hoping he was right. "What are you doing here?"
"We saw the weather was nice and decided to take a quick walk outside," Jenna answered the first thing that went through her mind and he nodded.
"How long have you been around here for?"
Emma turned to the brunette, "Like... maybe five minutes? What do you think babe?"
"Yeah," She gulped, "I'd say five minutes too. We saw some police cars when we got here, does this have something to do with the reason you're interrogating us..?" She decided to play clueless.
Her heart was beating so fast she was afraid it would burst out of her chest. They were so close to making it out.
"Ah... Yes, I'm afraid so." He answered, sighing. "Did you notice any suspect activity?"
This man was clearly terrible at his job.
"No, except for the policemen everywhere." The taller woman said, and he sighed once more.
"Alright then, you two can leave. I'd advise you to go home now though,"
Fuck, yes.
"Yeah, of course."
"Perfect then. Thank you for your collaboration," He said, and just as they were about to finally leave, someone called his name, and the brunette froze.
Jenna would recognize this voice anywhere.
Olivia.
She quickly reached their level, about to tell him something, she guessed, but before they could escape unnoticed, Olivia's gaze locked with the brunette's, and she knew it was too late.
She knew her too well not to recognize her.
The detective remained silent for a few seconds until the policeman turned to her again.
"Is there anything wrong Detective Ortega?"
She seemed to hesitate for a few seconds, and Jenna prayed she wouldn't reveal her identity. Olivia had always been her best friend. Her only friend, perhaps, until the brunette had switched sides. She had no idea how she would react.
Eventually, she sighed, facing the man once more and answering, "Oh... no, nothing. They're calling for you over there, so..."
Emma didn't try to move one bit, Jenna figured she must have recognized the detective too. After all, she had been keeping track of the brunette's life for a while.
The policeman didn't wait anymore before leaving, and before Jenna could utter a word, Olivia grabbed her arm roughly and led her toward a small, empty alley, not so far away from where they were, not so far from everyone else.
Jenna knew better than to fight it. Both hers and Emma's fate were between Olivia hands now.
This was so, so bad.
The second they were alone, the older woman shoved Jenna hard against the wall, completely ignoring Emma.
"What the fuck Jenna?!" She shouted, tears beginning to gather in her eyes as the brunette felt completely paralyzed. "Everyone is looking for you right now! They're saying you-" She paused, turning to Emma, "You..."
"Olivia," She sucked in a breath, "Olivia I swear- let me explain-"
"Is she.." Olivia's tone was colder than ice as she kept on eyeing Emma up and down, the woman's face remaining completely emotionless.
Jenna was thankful she was letting her handle the situation.
"Let me just-"
"Jenna." The detective turned to her once more, "Tell me the truth, now. I want to hear it from you."
"I..." The brunette closed her eyes, fists clenched so as to try to contain her emotions.
Olivia knew her more than anyone else. If she lied, the woman would immediately know. But how would she react to the truth? To know that Jenna had gone so bad?
"I had to, Olivia."
Olivia shot her a defeated look, visibly struggling with her words.
"I know you won't understand. Trust me, I do, but-" Jenna said, then stopped. "I swear I'm only doing this because I believe it's the right thing. She has been let down, Olivia. By us, by everyone. It's the only way to find justice.
Olivia looked up into her eyes and whispered, "Did she kill those men, Jenna?" Her jaw was clenched, her gaze filled with what seemed like betrayal. Grief, perhaps.
The brunette only nodded her answer. She couldn't add that she had, too. She wouldn't be able to bear the disappointment her one and only friend would feel for her. She knew she had lost her still, but didn't want to leave her with an even worse version of herself.
"I'm sorry." The former detective uttered, voice breaking. She knew it could never be enough to salvage their friendship, but maybe Olivia could at least try to understand that this hadn't been easy for Jenna either, that she was convinced she was only doing the right thing. Maybe Olivia would let them go. Maybe she didn't completely hate Jenna, not yet.
The street was getting darker and darker as the sun was setting, the sound of siren blaring from afar still ringing in the brunette's ears as she visibly swallowed, waiting for the other woman to react. Emma was still silent, carefully watching over the two, ready to strike if necessary.
"I can't understand you, Jen." Olivia finally spoke. "I don't know what you've become. I feel like I've failed you-"
"-Olivia, no..."
"Don't." She said. "I don't... I don't want to get involved in this."
That was it. She was going to turn them into the police. Emma would probably try to prevent her from doing this, and Jenna really didn't want to see this scenario unfolding, whatever the outcome was.
Then, the older woman closed her eyes, gulping. "Leave."
Jenna wasn't sure she had heard it right. She glanced at Emma, the latter looking back at her, confusion written all over her face.
"What?"
"I won't protect you, Jenna. But I can't turn you in either, you were my best friend. So leave, now, and please, god- don't get caught."
The brunette could feel her eyes fill with tears, her body shaking ever so slightly. Before she could answer a thing, Emma grabbed her shoulder, a silent request to obey the detective before she would change her mind. Jenna knew that if she left now, she wouldn't ever see her former friend again. She would forever be running away, committing to a whole new lifestyle.
"I'm sorry, Olivia." She breathed out, heart clenching as the woman couldn't look back at her. And, not wanting these to be her last words to her, she added, "Thank you." Before taking Emma's hand in her and following her god knew where.
This was the beginning of something new.
Jenna only hoped that, someday, whether she made it out alive or not, Olivia would understand her choice.